


Picking Up The Pieces

by spiralxshock



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Body Horror, Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff, Gerry lives AU, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Language, it's mild but I still want to tag it, mostly michael-centric at first but gerry does have a big role, post-spiral au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:21:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23046196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiralxshock/pseuds/spiralxshock
Summary: What if Another Twist had gone differently?Having been replaced by Helen, Michael is human again. Well, human enough to be back out in the world he had been separate from for so long. With so much to come to terms with, he's going to have a hard time adjusting. It's a good thing he won't be alone through it all.Tags will be updated as it goes.
Relationships: Gerard Keay/Michael Shelley
Comments: 24
Kudos: 169





	1. Another Twist

_ “Th-That’s not-“ _

Michael threw what weight he had back, trying to open the door. Stuck. This couldn’t be happening.

_ Oh, but it was happening. _

They were locked out. Completely cut off.

_ “Oh. Oh no.”  _

_ Oh yes. _

No. No he didn’t want this. 

_ But sharing a body had been awful, hadn’t it? _

As bad as it had been, as much as he had hated the thing sharing his being, he had finally been more than he was. The one in control. 

_ It will be better like this. _

Michael screamed. Pain shot through him, a sensation he had not felt in a long time. White-hot and tearing. He was being ripped apart. No. This had to stop.

_ Everything will be over soon. _

He couldn’t accept that. He couldn’t accept being thrown away again after he had no more use. A choked sob escaped him as the pain spiked once more. 

_ Ironic _ . The one thing that made him feel in control of his own life would be the thing to finally kill him. Or perhaps not. Given his luck it was less ironic and more of an inevitable fate. 

A shudder went through him as his knees hit the ground. The last few threads of connection snapped, and the pain disappeared with them. The world around him was fuzzy, a buzzing sound filling his ears and drowning out everything else. Perhaps it was for the best. Chances were he wouldn’t be able to process any more than he was already being forced to. Simply being able to feel again was too much. The rough ground beneath his shins. The cold, stale air that bit his skin and filled his lungs. The fatigue and hunger that gripped him as his head pounded painfully. It was all too much. 

There were hands on him. Lifting him. He let them, allowing himself to be led somewhere. It wasn’t like there was much else he could do besides shuffling along blankly anyways. Around him things started to shift. A small comfort, being where he felt at home. Michael let himself slump further against who was supporting him. 

A snap cut through his mental fog as pain flared again, stemming from his hand. First one, then the other. Bones snapped and shifted, some shrinking and rearranging while others disappeared entirely. Once more he screamed. It was a weak sound, hoarse and pained. His throat  _ burned.  _ It barely registered with him as he was laid on the floor, instead overwhelmed by the agony pulsing through his body. As he sobbed and curled in on himself, his hands continued to change. Something was on his shoulder. A hand. Someone was talking but he couldn’t focus on it enough to hear. Michael’s already blurry vision was darkening around the edges.

He didn’t want to die, but the relief of darkness was just so tempting. So into that darkness he fell, letting it surround him and numb the pain.

\----

Everything ached. Not the way it had, but the dull discomfort remained persistent. Michael guessed that meant he wasn’t dead yet. Soft sounds of machines surrounded him, and the muffled sounds of footsteps passed every now and then. It was difficult, but he forced his eyes open. 

A hospital. He was in a hospital. 

Tears stung his eyes as a wave of emotions washed over him. He was alive, and he was alone. 

No. Not alone. He could feel the familiarity of what he had lost. The comfort that came with the Spiral, which he had grown used to.

“ _ It’s good to see you awake. I’m... not used to this process.” _

Michael glanced over as best he could, eyes resting on his replacement as they sat beside his hospital bed

“What…” His voice was strained, and the strange feeling in his throat made him stop short. It didn’t hurt, but it was still a strange sensation.

“ _ Making avatars. I did what I could, but you still turned out far more human than intended. Still, it worked well enough. I was not about to leave you. The Stranger has done enough, and I refuse to let the Eye have you.” _

As if seeing the confusion on his face, they continued.

“ _ I hated being you, but you made a good Distortion. Neither of us is the same as we were before, but you are welcome in the halls anytime.” _ The new Distortion stood, smiling at him. “ _ Get well soon, Michael.”  _

Relief washed over him. He wasn’t alone. Not really. It was strange, and he would have a lot to adjust to, but he could do it. His mind wandered as he lay still, not having the strength to do much else. His mind wandered to everything he’d need to do once he finally got out of the hospital. He had a place to stay. A place to work, on the other hand, would be tricky. There was always the Institute. If anywhere would take him back, it would. Besides, he was in a much better position to… negotiate the terms of his employment. It wouldn’t be something Elias would be happy about, but it was something to try. 

There was also the matter of Gerry. Michael felt sick thinking about the other. He wanted to see him again, but after everything he’d done… No. Gerry was free now, considered dead by the institute and most others. The last thing he wanted to do was to drag him back into this whole mess. Besides, Michael wasn’t sure if he could lie to him. It would be easy for the others. He didn’t know them all that well. But Gerard? His Gerry? He was the one person Michael couldn’t bear to lie to. And there was always the chance he’d moved on. It had been several years, and it wasn’t like Gerry didn’t know about him being… well, a monster. 

The next few days dragged on. Nurses and doctors coming and going, explaining things he didn’t quite understand. Something about eating and working up to solid food, but that was all he could remember. The police came by at one point, and he’d given them some bullshit story that hinted at enough weird stuff that they left him alone. It was at least one thing he didn’t have to worry about later. 

One of the only interesting things that kept him going was the steady stream of visitors that he got. It was weird at first, since none of them actually knew him. Well, aside from the new Distortion. Helen. They were nice, and seemed to be having an easier time than he had.

It was the fact he had members of the Archives visiting that had him surprised. The first visitor he had was Jon. He was less of a surprise, and as the Archivist it was only natural he’d try to figure the situation out.

“I haven’t seen Helen much since the Distortion took her, but it seems different. Compared to how it affected you.”

“They.” Michael frowned, leaning back in the hospital bed. It wasn’t too big of a deal, he’d figured that Helen wasn’t in as frequent contact with the archival staff as he had been. If they hadn’t talked, he wouldn’t have had a way of knowing.

“They?”

“Helen goes by they and them. We matched with the Spiral differently, and they’ve become something… new.”

Jon let out a small laugh. “I’m starting to think being cryptic wasn’t a Distortion thing. I think you’re going to have to spell it out for me.”

“It wasn’t.” A smile spread across his face. Talking in circles had been something he’d always found himself doing. That, or over explaining things. Rarely did he find himself in between the two. “Different people handle it differently. The Spiral and I were like a coin spinning on its edge. Visually it’s hard to tell which side is in front, but really neither is. And both are. Caused quite the crisis of identity for me.”

“So that’s why you’d say you were Michael, but at the same time you weren’t.”

“Yes.”

“And Helen?”

“Helen is… a bowl. Part of it was full of the original Helen Richardson, and the Spiral was poured in too. Two separate materials, but mixed.” 

“So there’s no start and stop. There’s just… Helen, whatever they would be classified as.”

Michael nodded. It was nice that his weak attempt at an explanation had gotten the point across. Perks of trying to explain to someone with the ability to just… know. 

They talked like that a while, but eventually he found himself alone again. Helen would pop in from time to time, but never for long. They usually were looking for tips on getting used to being the Distortion. It was information he was happy to give, but he did wish they stayed longer. 

The most interesting visit was from Tim Stoker. It was also the one that continued to haunt him. 

“You got out, how’d you do it?”

Michael had been surprised by his visitor’s question. No introductions, not that they were needed, just the question.

“Out of where?”

“The Institute, the Archives, take your pick. I want out. How’d you do it?”

“Oh. Um…” He frowned. “I was taken by the spiral. Though I guess the better answer is that Elias thought I was dead. That’s how most people get out. By dying.”

“So you faked your own death.”

“I- I guess?” Perhaps it was best he didn’t mention how he had faked Gerry’s too, and achieved the same result.

“Right. Thanks.” 

With that, Tim was gone. Michael could feel the dread settle in his stomach. He had a look of determination in his eyes that put him on edge. Either that man was going to get himself killed, or he was going to do a damn good job of making it look like he had. 

A sigh left him as he closed his eyes. It had been an interesting encounter, if nothing else. Without those encounters, the hospital stay would be more unbearable than it already was. 

With any luck, he’d be able to go home sooner rather than later. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a whole lot of Gerry this time, but don't worry! He'll be here more soon enough.


	2. Negotiations

Michael took a deep breath as he stared up at the institute. He hadn’t expected to be back at all, let alone so soon. Ok maybe it wasn’t  _ soon _ , but time can get fuzzy in the hallways. It hadn’t felt like nearly as long as it was. However long it had been, he was there now and that was what mattered. 

It was quiet when he entered, the once familiar surroundings now strange and intimidating. Maybe it was because he had been gone long enough to see it with an outsider’s view. Yeah, that would make sense. That and the fact he knew just what watched over the building. He’d never paid much attention, but now it was clear just how many eyes decorated the place. Honestly, how had he not noticed before? Even the front desk had a giant one carved in the front! 

Still, there was no turning back. Jon was off following Gertrude’s old path, and it was only a matter of time before his own secret came to light. He made his way through the Institute towards Elias’s office. Wooden and glass eyes stared at him from all sides. Stained windows, arches, wooden supports. Nothing was free of them.

Elias’s office door was adorned with yet another eye. Fitting, but still creepy. He knocked a few times. 

“Come in.”

He pushed the door open, stepping into the grand office. Here only two sets of eyes stared him down. One set belonged to the massive portrait of Jonah Magnus sitting at his desk hanging behind the desk, and the other from the man seated at the same desk in front of him. Honestly, it was like a bad cartoon. How had nobody noticed? How was  _ he _ only noticing now? Elias wasn’t even trying to be subtle. Michael looked at his former boss, confused by the surprise on the other’s face.

“Um. Hel… Hello sir.” Oh that was a bad way to start. He took a deep breath. If he could torture people in hallways of madness, then he could do this.

“Michael? How- How on earth did you get in here?”

“Through the front door?”

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

He gestured for Michael to have a seat. He did, puzzling over the other’s comments. Michael was tall enough that passing unseen by anyone was next to impossible even without the person being an all-seeing being. Clearing his throat, Michael focused on his connection to the Spiral. The familiar itch of power in his veins gave him the confidence to speak.

“I would like to negotiate the terms of my returning to the institute.”

“What makes you think you’re going to be hired, let alone be in a position to negotiate anything?

“Well. Have you seen your archives?” He couldn’t help but laugh a bit. If things went sideways, he trusted his ability to reach the door first. “I have! It’s a mess. Every time I came to see it, there were files all over the place. At this point having gone to school for archival work makes me  _ overqualified  _ for the job.”

Elias fell silent. His brow was furrowed in either concern or thought. Michael couldn’t be sure which.

“You’ve seen it. You’ve… been in the archives?”

“Yes? When I was the distortion I’d come see how things were going now and then.” Pieces were starting to fall into place. The Ceaseless Watcher couldn’t see him. He clenched his jaw to stop himself from smiling. This was going far better than he could have hoped. 

“I see.” Michael could almost see the anger growing in Elias’s eyes. Oh he was having  _ fun  _ now. “What are you hoping to get from me?”

“If I work for you again, you can’t bind Gerry or I to you or the institute.”

“Gerry… Gerard Keay? I thought he was dead.”

“He’s not. And with your new Archivist following Gertrude’s old trail, chances are he’ll be back if their paths cross. If he does come back, and if he does work here again, you can’t bind him to you and the Institute. Same goes for me now.”   
  
“I suppose that would be fair, depending on what exactly you are offering in return.”

Michael leaned forward. He had the power now, for the first time in his life. Not as the distortion, but as himself. 

“Silence. You can’t see me, but I’ve certainly kept my eye on what goes on here, Jonah. You’re really not subtle. Not to mention those two murders. Granted, they were satisfying to watch, but not something you’d want to risk getting out.” He grinned. “Give me what I want and I’ll play your game. Who you are and what you’re planning are safe with me. I won’t tell. Besides, not only can I actually make your archive look like an archive, I’m also a much more reliable delivery person than sending those statements through the mail.”

Elias went silent. Michael’s heart was racing. He’d really just said that! It was both exciting and absolutely terrifying. The man in front of him was old and had far more experience in things like manipulation and murder, but Michael was the one making threats. Gerry was never going to believe it. 

“I… suppose you make a fair argument.” The other’s words came through clenched teeth. After a moment he sighed, opening his laptop and beginning to type. “So aside from the usual employment details, which you should already know, Gerrard Keay and yourself will not be bound to the Archive. In return you have agreed to remain silent about what you know, and assist in delivering statements to those who are… away.”

“Yes that about sums it up, I think.”

After a few minutes of typing, the printer behind his desk whirred to life. Elias slid the papers over to him, along with a pen. Michael looked them over carefully. He didn’t want anything getting by. It was only once he was sure that everything was alright that he filled in what information he had to and signed before returning it. 

“So, uh. When do you want me to start?”

“If you don’t have anything else to do, you can get started now. Maybe you can give the Archive some semblance of order.” Michael nodded. 

When he was finally back out of the office, he let out a deep breath and let his shoulders slump. As exciting as it had all been, it had been just as terrifying. Elias had killed Gertrude and Leitner already, and he was genuinely surprised he hadn’t been next on the list.

Fatigue and hunger clung to him as he made his way back through the archives. He wasn’t in any immediate danger, but being the Distortion for so long had left him seriously underweight. Hopefully there’d be something in the Archives’ kitchen that the other assistants wouldn’t mind sharing. If not then he’d just have to run and get something. Getting back to the archives was muscle memory at this point, even after so long. There was a familiarity to them. Not as familiar as the hallways he had grown to favor, but still recognizable. Little changed in the Institute.

As he finally entered the Archives, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

“What are _ you _ doing here?” The animosity in the voice sent a shiver up his spine. He turned, seeing his one-time visitor standing there.

“Oh! Tim, right? Well I… Uh… Well, I work here. Again.” Michael let out a nervous laugh.

“So you’re telling me that you got _ out _ . And then you decided to  _ come back _ ?”

“Yes? I have a Master’s Degree in library science. If I didn’t come back here I’d be in another archive somewhere else. This one just has better job security.” Tim scoffed at that. Michael hadn’t meant it as a joke, though thinking on how none of the others could leave it certainly sounded like one. “Besides, I’ve already been a part of the Twisting Deceit, so the other fears don’t exactly bother me. Jon’s a much better Archivist too, all things considered.”

“Oh yeah? And what ‘things’ are you considering?”

“He sent you and Martin home when he went to deal with the not-them. Gertrude fed me to the Twisting Deceit and was fully planning on binding my friend to a skin book. And Jon was working without even half the knowledge she had.”

The other went quiet. 

“Right. Well, good luck with that mess.”

Michael watched as Tim stalked off. On one hand he wished the other could see just how much better Jon was, but on the other hand he knew it would be hard to convince anyone of much. He’d been the distortion, a creature of lies and half-truths. They likely wouldn’t trust him anytime soon.In the break room he put on a pot of tea. He needed something to help keep him going, and he’d never enjoyed the taste of coffee. Aside from tea, there didn’t seem to be much else in the kitchen that wasn’t claimed or out of date. He’d have to go out to get something. Maybe he should offer to get whoever else was here something too. It would be a good way to get on their good side. The tea could wait.

He took the teapot off the stove and wandered back into the archives. It wasn’t long before he bumped into somebody. Literally. 

“O-Oh! Sorry… I didn’t see you.” 

“It’s fine.” The woman backed away and looked up at him, holding out her hand. “Don’t think I’ve seen you around. You new too?”

“Sort of? It’s a bit complicated.” He took the hand. “I’m Michael.”

“Basira.” She glanced around. “Everything here is complicated, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…” They fell into an uneasy silence, awkwardly staring at each other. 

“So. Did you… need anything?”

“Right! Yes. I was going to get food. I wanted to ask everyone if they wanted anything.” Michael shifted nervously as she thought. 

“Yeah, actually. A coffee could be good.” Basira shrugged. “I can go with you if you’d like. If everyone wants something it’s going to be a lot to carry.”

“How- How many people work here?”

“Well there’s Jon, Martin and Tim. They were here first. Then there’s Melanie and I. And now you’re here, so that’s six who officially work here now.”

“Six… I wish I’d had that kind of help when I first worked here. I saw Tim earlier. Not sure he’s fond of me. Where are the others?”

“That’s alright. I can ask him, if you’d like. Martin and Melanie are over in the office looking though statements.”

“Right. I’ll meet you back here, then?” The break room would be an easy way to get to the local bakery and back. He could ask Helen if they wanted anything on the way. When Basira nodded, he smiled and took his leave. 

Finding the office was easy, but seeing the state of the Archive in person was enough to make him feel ill. Well, that was probably the hunger. He was still upset about it, though. The door to the office was open, idle chatter audible from within.He knocked twice as he poked his head in.

“Um, hello. Martin and Melanie, right? Basira told me I could find you here.” The two people in the office stared up at him from the floor. His chest was tight. Files were scattered about the floor, without any reason to them. “I’m Michael. The… well, the returning assistant.”

Martin was the first to move. He recognized the other, though he was sure his new coworker didn’t remember him. The slightly shorter man smiled at him.

“Nice to meet you, Michael.” He looked nice enough, but Michael had been watching long enough to know that wasn’t always the case. Not that Martin needed to know that.

“Hey.” The young woman, Melanie most likely, went back to looking at the files. 

“Basira and I are going to get food. Do… either of you want anything?”

Both seemed to think for a moment. 

“I’ll take a coffee. Cream, no sugar.” Melanie said, not looking up. 

“I think I’ll take a coffee too. Cream and sugar.”

Michael smiled, nodding. “Right. I’ll be back soon.”

He made his way back through the archive to where he was meant to meet up with Basira. She was already waiting for him, and smiled as he approached.

“You get their orders?” Michael nodded at the question.

“You?”

“Nah. He started going on again so I just left. He’s been having… trouble recently. Not sure what about though. I think it happened before I got here.”

“Sasha, I think. And Jon was stalking everyone for a while after the worm incident here. Not to mention Elias’ whole… deal.” He placed his hands on his hips, thinking. 

“How do you know all of that?”

Oh. He really had just revealed too much, hadn’t he. Not the worst information that he knew, but explaining how he got it would certainly be difficult. Maybe if she could see then things would be better.

“I’ll tell you on our way to the shop.” He beckoned her over to the break room door, or rather where the break room door should have been. Michael had found in testing his powers that he could change pre-existing doors, but couldn’t simply manifest them anymore. It was inconvenient, but something he could live with. Pushing open the door, he smiled.

“Are… Are you sure that’s safe?”

“Yes. You’ll be with me, so nothing’s going to happen. It’s a lot faster than walking. Besides, there’s one more person I’d like to ask.”

Basira let out a deeply affected sigh and shrugged, starting towards the door.

“Why not? It’s not like this is the weirdest thing that’s happened here.”

It was a relief when she stepped through the door without much question. He followed behind her, letting the door swing shut behind them. They stood in the halls for a moment, Basira looking around in what Michael assumed was curiosity.

“So. What’s all this?”

“The Twisting Deceit’s hallways. I was a part of them for a while but I was… replaced.” He let out a nervous chuckle. “I can’t do as much with it now, but I used to be able to open doors wherever. Helped with keeping tabs on the Institute.”

“And this other person you wanted to ask is…”

“ _ His replacement. _ ” Michael turned towards the voice, smiling as Hellen approached from a hallway that hadn’t been there moments before.

“Hellen! We’re getting food from the cafe. You want anything?”

“ _ Hm. Perhaps a bagel. And a black coffee _ .”

“Got it. Well, we’ll be back. C’mon, Basira.” He opened his door once again, but the location beyond it had changed. The cafe. It was his favorite place to go for a drink, even after becoming part of the Spiral. 

He and Basira stepped through into the door as Helen called for a second bagel behind them. It was quiet, with only a few people sitting at tables. Nobody seemed to notice that the door they had come from hadn’t been the business’s usual door. He and Basira chatted as they waited for their order to be prepared. It was a relief to hear how intrigued she was about what he had been, and what Helen was now, instead of being horrified like he had feared. Michael was glad to have someone he could at least begin considering a friend.

They went back the same way they had come, leaving Helen with their bagels and coffee. The others appreciated the drinks as well, and Michael felt a warm comfort in his chest. After being the Distortion, he didn’t feel like he had to rely on the approval of others, but being appreciated never stopped being nice. He returned to the breakroom with his sandwich, ready to simply rest a bit before finding a place to start on the Archives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! The next chapter's gonna be a Gerry chapter.


	3. Monster Manual

Gerry looked out the window of the small cabin, staring into the dark woods. Julia and Trevor should have been back by now, but he couldn’t bring himself to worry. They were Hunt avatars. If anyone could get out of a tight spot, they could.

It was almost hard to believe he had gotten used to that routine of theirs, even after so long. What they had was a nice arrangement. They let him tag along, and he talked them through different methods of killing creatures. He’d even started making a notebook full of all the creatures he could think of, and their weaknesses. It kept the Eye sated and the hunters from getting rid of him, so he didn’t mind doing it. 

The whole situation had started about three years ago. No, the situation had started the first time he agreed to help out Gertrude Robinson, a decision he was still conflicted over. This arrangement he had with Trevor and Julia had started a little under three years ago. Thinking back on it, he should have seen the seizure coming. He’d been having headaches on and off long enough, which only grew more persistent on their way to America. But that, and everything else, he’d attributed to not sleeping well. The fatigue, dizziness, everything. And yet he hadn’t seen it coming. It had hit him without warning, and when he woke up it was in the back of an ambulance. Most things from that day were hazy. 

What he did remember was the hallway. For a few seconds he thought he’d been hallucinating. But then that thing had shown up. It leaned over him, told him it wasn’t going to let Gertrude do to him what she had done to it. That’s when Gerry knew. He knew with absolute certainty it was Michael, and the lies she had spun about him stepping in to save her from an avatar were just that. Lies. It had told him what it was about to do was going to hurt, but that it would all be over soon. The thing that couldn’t be Michael, and yet it was, kissed him on the forehead. Too soft compared to what came next.

Gerry had never known pain like what he felt that day before or since. As it sank the sharp fingers of its hand into his head the world went white with agony. Having reality warped within you is not a pleasant experience. He knew that now. Not that he’d ever wondered it before. When he’d finally come back to his senses, it had been leaning over him still. Smoothing his hair with a hand that was just… wrong. It had told him he could let go now, and only then did Gerry realize the death grip he’d had on its too-thin arm.

When it finally let him go, he was left to wander in some forest with no idea where he was or how he got there. Julia and Trevor found him not long after. Michael had still shown up from time to time, but never for long. Usually he’d only catch a glimpse of the other before it disappeared, leaving behind an envelope of cash. He never had the opportunity to ask where it came from. Something told him it was better off not knowing.

For a time everything had been alright. He’d still managed to keep a tape he’d taken from Gertrude, which had Michael’s voice on it. But his recorder had broken. It had been months since he’d last listened to it, and weeks since Michael had shown up. Everything was falling apart. 

The door of the cabin slamming open shook him out of his misery. He got up, pressing his ear to the door. Trevor and Julia were back, that he was sure of, but they weren’t alone. A third person was walking in with them, and something- at least, he hoped it was a something- was being dragged across the floor. 

Well, nobody seemed to be interested in bothering him, so it was none of his business. He moved to lay on the small bed, allowing himself to return to his thoughts. If they needed him then they’d ask. They never took issue with doing that before, no matter the time of night. 

A while later, a soft knocking brought him out of the light sleep he had fallen into, hand in his pocket and wrapped around his precious tape. Gerry sat up, stretching.

“Door’s unlocked.”

Ever so slowly, the door creaked open. A nervous man stood in the doorway, looking like a mess and a half. A pang of sympathy shot through his chest. God knows he looked that way himself more than enough times when his mother was alive. 

“Gerard? Gerard Keay?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

Gerry watched silently as the other continued to stand awkwardly in the doorway.

“You… you can come in, you know. Close the door behind you, too. Whatever they’re going to be doing to their new toy I’d rather not hear it.”

“Oh! Yes. Of course.” The man shuffled into the room, closing the door before taking a seat over at the small table. Gerry joined him.

“Right, so who are you? You’re not from around here either from the sound of it.”

“I- I’m Jon. I’m with the Magnus Institute… I… I’m the Archivist.”

Huh. That was certainly something. It seems he’d missed a lot while in America.

“When did she die?”

“About a year after you...  _ disappeared _ .” 

“Was it peaceful?”

“No.”

“Good.” A small grin spread across his face. He knew what she’d done. “She didn’t deserve a peaceful end.”

The statement seemed to catch Jon off guard. He rummaged in his jacket for a few seconds, depositing a tape recorder, a pack of cigarettes, and a lighter onto the small table.

“Ah, do you mind if I smoke?”

“Go right ahead.”

When Jon held the pack out to him, he shook his head.

“I don’t smoke.”

“O-Oh. I’m sorry, I didn’t- A lot of statements mention it so I just assumed…”

“It’s fine.” Gerry leaned to rest his chin in his hand. “I quit a bit ago. Boyfriend had…  _ has _ asthma. He’s been missing for a while but… I don’t know. Taking it up again feels like admitting he’s not coming back. I don’t think I’m ready for that. Not yet.”

Honestly he wasn’t even sure if avatars could even have asthma, but he’d rather be safe. It’d already cost him enough time with the other. Moments that seemed unimportant at the time but that he now wished could have been spent with Michael. No matter how nice one sounded, he wasn’t going to let himself fall back into old habits. Not yet. 

“Do you… want to talk about it?”

He tilted his head. It would be nice, telling someone the story, but he wasn’t about to just give that out. It was too important a statement to not get anything in return. Gerry gingerly pulled his tape out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

“Let me use that tape recorder to play back my tape, and I’ll give you that statement.”

“If you can answer some questions, I’ll let you use my tape recorder.”

A sharp laugh left Gerry. It felt  _ good _ . He couldn’t remember the last time something had made him genuinely laugh.

“You drive a hard bargain. I’ll accept your terms.” 

The conversation dragged on for a while. This new Archivist had none of the information he himself took for granted. He tried to be patient, and help him out as best he could. Being there would more than likely make things easier, but there was nothing left for him back in England. Here he at least had some sort of goal. Eventually the advice turned into a statement about his Mother. A sour topic, but he hoped the payoff would be worth it.

“Thank you for your help, Gerard.”

“Gerry. I… I like my friends to call me Gerry.”

“Alright, Gerry. Here.” 

Gerry couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow in surprise as the other pulled another tape recorder out of a pocket. Had it been there the whole time? Well, the Eye was certainly a strange entity. He pulled the new recorder towards him before removing the tape from its case and inserting it. 

He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as he pressed play.

“ _ Supplemental. In light of yet another recent statement concerning the Not-Them creature, I have elected to create this separate tape just in case it should find its way into the Institute. It can’t change the voice on tapes like these, so it is the safest choice for now.” _

He didn’t care much for this part, but listening to the whole thing was worth having to hear her.

“ _ My name is Gertrude Robinson, head archivist of the Magnus Institute. Let’s see. I’m about average height at about five feet, four inches. I wear glasses. My hair is gray, and while I do wear it in a bun more often than not, I keep it shoulder-length. There is also my current assistant, Michael Shelley.” _

This is where it got good. 

_ “He’s about… Six and a half feet tall, if I remember correctly. A bit on the heavier side I believe, but that could just be his habit of wearing such thick sweaters. He’s got a round face and very thick curly hair down to his shoulders. He’s just about to knock, so his voice will be on tape as well.” _

A knocking sound came from the tape, and Gerry couldn’t help but grin.

_ “Miss Robinson?” _

_ “Yes, come in Michael.” _

_ The door opened softly. _

_ “Oh, I… didn’t realize you were busy.” _

_ “It’s fine, Michael. Where are you going?” _

_ “Out to lunch. I may be a while, so I wanted to tell you where I was going. I’ll have my phone. So uh… If you need me for anything.” _

_ “Alright. Was there anything else?” _

_ “Oh! Yes. Miss Keay is here to see you.” Michael laughed nervously. _

_ “Of course. Send her down on your way up.” _

_ “Right.” _

_ “And Michael?” _

_ “Y-yes, Miss Robinson?” _

_ “Tell Gerard I say hello.” _

With that the tape recorder clicked, stopping at the end as if it had the mind to do so. 

“This was from the day we actually became… official. He was late, but... “ Gerry trailed off, removing the tape and placing it back into its case. “I know Gertrude gave him to the Spiral but… At least he was out there somewhere. Now he isn’t.”

“Michael? Michael Shelley was your boyfriend?” 

“Yeah. You know him?”

“Oh, uh. Not well. Last I saw him he was in the hospital.”

The hospital? Gerry leaned forward, nails digging into the table as his hands trembled. 

“What do you mean he was in the hospital?” His voice was barely keeping its calm tone. Jon looked on edge, startled by the sudden shift in demeanor.

“The- the Spiral replaced him! Spat him out, sort of. We- the new Distortion and I- we took him to the hospital. He was recovering alright when I left.” 

It was like a weight had been lifted off of his chest. Michael was alright.While he wished the other had done something to let him know, with no cell phone or fixed address it would have been near impossible for Michael to have contacted him. The downsides of not having an income from monster hunting.

“I’m going back to London with you.” 

“W-what?”

“When you go back. I’m going with you. I hadn’t before since there wasn’t anything there left for me. Now there is. So I’m going with you.”

“R-right.”

Now all he had to do was break the news to his hunter ‘friends’. It was easier said than done. Julia just about threw a table when he told them. He’d managed to smooth things over, though, promising he’d be available if they needed advice. Besides, the book he’d compiled would be more than enough to answer most of their questions. It was the ace in his sleeve. Even if it was just a claim, saying the book had most of what he knew convinced them that he wouldn’t be worth keeping around. 


	4. Reunion

The trip back to England was interesting, to say the least. He’d been considered missing for years, after all. Gerry just considered it lucky that the American legal system seemed sensitive to the same types of situations the British legal system was. Make it sound weird enough, and they’d be willing to do whatever was needed to just make it go away. He almost felt under prepared for the plane, not even having a carry on bag. It was a problem he could solve at home.

Home… Gerry wasn’t exactly sure where that was anymore. All he could be sure of was that so long as Michael would have him, home was wherever they could be together in peace. Of course, seeing him again would have to wait. They were going straight to Gertrude’s storage unit, with Martin and Melanie. He wasn’t sure who they were, but Jon seemed to know them well enough to trust them so it was good enough for him. Besides, chances were they’d be his coworkers soon enough. 

When they finally pulled up, Gerry couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as the two got out of the car. Martin looked familiar. Tall, round face… It reminded him of his Michael. Well, before the Spiral took him. Melanie was certainly something. He had to say he quite liked her whole aesthetic. 

The ride to Gertrude's storage unit was quiet. Awkward. Martin kept glancing in the mirror at him, and he gave an uncomfortable smile at the look he was given.  _ Jealousy. _ It seemed right, if a bit strange. What did the other have to be jealous of? 

“So how’ve things been at the Institute?” Jon asked eventually, breaking the silence.

“It’s been fine.” The non-answer was all Melanie gave.

“Elias hired another assistant. Something off about him, though. It’s like… I feel like I’ve seen him before. I just don’t know where.”

“Is his name Michael?” 

“I- Yes. Jon how did you know?”

“Oh, um. I met him before. He was one of the old assistants, but he uh… well, it’s a long story. Can’t say I’m not surprised he came back.”

“Makes sense he did.” Gerry piped up, laughing a bit. “If it weren’t there, he’d be in an archive somewhere else. He’s just stubborn enough to want to fix the mess Gertrude left.”

“So you knew him pretty well, then.” Gerry glanced over at Melanie before looking out the window.

“Yeah... You could say that.”

Nobody pressed him. He was glad of that. Talking about the past any more before discussing it with Michael wasn’t something he was keen on doing. Once they could get things sorted out then maybe they could tell the others. 

The storage unit was unimpressive at first glance, but knowing Gertude it either had some entity’s powerful artifact, way too much concrete, or straight up something illegal. 

To his delight, what waited for them fell solidly into the last category. Gerry wasn’t sure how she got her hands on so many explosives, but he was absolutely delighted that she had. A statement with the explosives made it pretty clear who helped with the C-4 gathering. He’d never met Adelard Dekker personally, but he silently thanked the man. This would make stopping the Unknowing so much easier. 

The group left it where it was, making their way back to the institute. Once more it was a fairly quiet ride.

“So... Gerrard.” Martin’s voice came from the driver’s seat.

“Gerry’s fine.”

“Oh! S-sorry. Well… Gerry. You know a lot about all this, right? About those ‘avatars’ and all?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok. So… is there more than one that can change appearance.”

“Just the Stranger. And as far as I know the Not-Them is the only one that’s fully convincing. And from what Jon told me it’s been dealt with. Why?”

“It’s probably nothing. It’s just… I’m sure I’ve seen Michael before? I don’t know where, but I’ve seen him. I know I have.”

Chances were he’d seen Michael as the Distortion. It seemed a common enough occurrence to be plausible. He debated what to say. If Martin was asking him about it, then Michael hadn’t said anything. It almost didn’t seem right to expose the other, but after the Not-Them that doubt could be dangerous.

“Well… I don’t know the whole story but I think I can guess what happened to him.”

“I do.” Jon said, looking back at him from the passenger seat. “Know the whole story, I mean. If you’re alright with it.”

“Uh, sure. Floor’s yours.”

“Michael used to be Gertrude’s assistant. She brought him with her to another ritual- the Spiral’s. Gertrude… fed him to it. To stop the ritual. Since he was trapped he somehow ended up… I don’t know. Merging, I guess, with an aspect of the hallways. Becoming an avatar. Then Helen Richardson managed to become the Distortion and it spit him out. He’s... more or less human again, from what I can tell. Not like before.”

Melanie hummed thoughtfully before speaking.

“Well, it’s not like we don’t already have our fair share of monsters.” 

Gerry couldn’t help but notice how Jon shifted uncomfortably.

The rest of the ride was filled with idle conversation. Nothing overwhelmingly serious, which was nice. He didn’t think he could take more hard questions at the moment, not when he was trying to keep the anxiety that settled in his chest from overwhelming him. Would Michael even want to see him again? Sure when they had parted ways they hadn’t been on bad terms, but he hadn’t looked for the other. He’d fully believed Gertrude’s story of his death. Logically, he knew he had no way of knowing what she had really done, but that didn’t stop the guilt from settling in his chest. 

Seeing the Institute in the distance was not something he’d expected to have to deal with again, but he was willing to deal with anything if it meant he got to see Michael again. 

Stepping into the building sent a chill up his spine. He could feel so many eyes on him. Watching. Whether it was Elias or the Eye itself, he couldn’t be sure. The feeling of being watched was the same either way.

A chill ran up his spine as a hand settled on his shoulder.

“Elias.”

“Gerard Keay. I can’t say I expected to see you in here again.” 

Gerry shrugged the hand off, turning to face him.

“Well? What the hell do you want.” 

“I wanted to offer you a job. You’ve been gone  _ so long, _ and can’t possibly have much money in your name.”

“And why would I take the job? I could find somewhere else.”

“What other place do you think would hire you?”

Gerry opened his mouth, paused, and then closed it again. Chances were if he didn’t take the offer, Elias would make getting information from the Institute extremely difficult. And he did have to admit ‘hunting evil books’ wasn’t exactly something he could put down as prior work experience. Before Gertrude was more than willing to help him out. Now he was on his own.

“I’ll hear you out. That’s about all I’ll promise.” Gerry glanced back at the others. “It’s fine if you’d rather not wait for me.”

“I think I’d feel better waiting.” Jon said. 

Gerry nodded. He followed Elias, glancing around as the other led him to his office. To think he’d end up stuck there as well. Somehow he couldn’t bring himself to be upset. It was a fate that would have upset his mother and Gertude, and he certainly hoped they were watching. If he was going to be stuck here, at least he’d have Mihael.

When they arrived at the office, Gerry sat and watched as Elias as he pulled out several sheets and handed them over. 

“What’s this.”

Elias grimaced. He looked at the papers now in his hand. They looked like… a contract of some sort?

“Your friend has… negotiated the terms of your employment. I expect you’ll want to look over it.”

The room went eerily silent as Gerry read over the terms of employment. So he wouldn’t be bound to Elias or the Institute. It seemed like a great deal, better than what the other would usually be willing to offer for so little. There was something about Michael agreeing to do deliveries, and not share certain information. That made sense, he supposed. Whatever Michael had on him was worth a miracle like this, so he wasn’t about to complain.

Everything else on the form seemed just fine, so he signed where he had to and handed the papers back.

“Welcome to the institute Gerard. Officially, this time.”

“It’ll be nice to actually get paid for the work I do.” 

Elias let him leave. Finally. He was more than a little anxious about seeing Michael again. Gerry had tried to stay cool, but even as he walked back to where Jon was likely waiting he could feel his throat tighten. He was so close. 

Jon was making idle conversation with Rosie when he returned. Gerry waved to get his attention and the other walked over. 

“Martin and Melanie already went down. They... decided they weren’t going to tell Michael. Said it would be a good surprise.”

“Well, I don’t want to keep them waiting.”

The way down into the Archives was still familiar even after being away for so long. Its old, clean smell hit him as they descended, conversation carrying up the stairs. 

Laughter rang out, light and sweet and so familiar.

Oh God.

Tears rolled down his face as he pushed past Jon, all but sprinting down the last of the stairs. His rapid, heavy stomping must have caught their attention because as he entered, face red and tear-streaked, the room was quiet.

“G-gerry?” The startled concern was evident in Michael’s face and voice. “What-“

Gerry didn’t let him finish, choking out a sob before closing the space between them. Wrapping his arms around Michael felt so wrong. He felt so thin, like the slightest pressure would break him. But he was solid, and he was real. That was all that mattered as he buried his face in the other’s sweater, breathing deeply and trying to calm down. Michael’s arms wrapped around him gently. Gingerly. As if he were the fragile one. Maybe he was.

Eventually he pulled back a bit to look up at Michael. His eyes scanned the other’s gaunt face. The other smiled at him, face the same as ever but still so different. His eyes were wide and bright, but the soft blue and brown Gerry loved so much was filled with flecks of a rainbow of different colors. It was beautiful. 

“You look like shit.” He croaked, grinning.

“You don’t look much better yourself.” Michael’s voice was gentle, cracking a bit his eyes watered. 

Gerry sighed as Michael leaned down, lips pressing against his forehead. He’d lost so much, but now? Now he finally got back the best thing to ever happen to him. He could take whatever came next, so long as Michael still wanted him.

There was a knock by the stairs. 

“I don’t mean to intrude-“ Elias’s voice came soon after, dripping with mock-politeness. “But you do still have work to do.”

“Right.” Jon sounded tired. None of the others seemed any more thrilled to get back to work. 

The group dispersed, shooting angry looks back towards Elias as he ascended the stairs again. Gerry stepped back from Michael, but still stayed close. He didn’t want to risk going too far. Not yet, anyways. Not while he was still reeling from finally seeing him again.

Gerry didn’t resist as Michael laced their fingers together, instead looking up at him once more. 

“So… What do you need help with?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who’s left a nice comment on this fic. I know I’m horrible about responding but all the kind words mean so much to me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


End file.
